twirl daintily and thought about what he'd done. He'd more or less broken into her house and taken her virginity. She hadn't been unwilling, but he'd known she was an innocent. When she'd needed time to mull that over, he'd accused her of sleeping with her best friend of fourteen years, who was his nephew.
He reminded himself that he'd made these wild accusations two days after he'd taken her virginity. Then he forced her into animal sex and bit her, leaving his mark on her, because he was in a jealous rage. He was pretty sure Hallmark didn't make a card for that.
* * * *
Lorelei spent several days either huddled in her bed or showering. When Renaud pressed her about her odd behavior, she told him that she was still upset about the incident in Gulf Breezes.
She knew that he wasn't fooled. He trusted her to have good reasons not to confide in him. She did have very good reasons.
Warrick Martine was her brother's uncle. She didn't want to color his relationship with him. Renaud didn't love very many people, and she knew that War was one of the few.
The truth was, Lorelei was in love with War. She knew it, and she hated herself for it. She wished she could hate him, too. Sometimes she did but, mostly, she mourned the loss of her hopes.
In love with him or not, Lorelei didn't trust him. He was dangerous and he'd hurt her. If he hurt her once, he'd do it again. She knew she'd never love anyone else.
That just made her angry. Now she had to accept that her judgment was poor and the only man she would ever love—would ever have the opportunity to love—didn't trust her and didn't believe what she told him.
Her pride was hurt, her heart was broken, and her future looked more than a little bleak. Lorelei didn't like herself right then.
* * * *
War didn't have much opportunity to spend time with Renaud in the days after his “separation” from Lorelei, but they did cross paths.
One afternoon, he was sitting at his desk looking across at Lorelei's building when he saw her run out the door. He saw the sun reflect off of her necklace.
Lorelei running out the door would have caught his attention anyway, but he got an unofficial call at the same time. Apparently Renaud was involved in an altercation that seemed about to escalate. War hurried out to his SUV.
When he pulled into the lot of the Burger Bin, War saw his nephew. Renaud dangled another young man by the throat. The young man swung a knife at Renaud, and War was sure he had connected at least once. He knew he saw blood on his nephew's torso.
Before War could even get out of his vehicle, the young werewolf flung his opponent away. Renaud turned and walked to Lorelei's little Escort and got in. She drove off.
When War saw him later, he asked Renaud about the incident. Renaud downplayed the whole thing and wouldn't talk about it. Since there was no official complaint and War could find no injury on his nephew, he was forced to let it go.
* * * *
Over the next month, War saw Lorelei only from a distance. He saw her when she passed him in traffic a few times. Once he walked into the grocery store, and her scent was heavy in the air.
He looked around until he saw her in the checkout line. When he looked at her she didn't look away, but her eyes were unreadable. She fingered the shining amulet at her throat. When she left the store, Renaud was waiting in the parking lot.
Another time he was outside the post office when she came out. He tipped his hat to her, and she nodded. He wasn't sure if he should take these exchanges as positive or negative. She didn't ignore him, and she didn't run screaming. That had to count for something.
War decided he should just bide his time. He'd try to turn up where she went and win her back. That should work, right? She was skittish but he'd work this out. He was damn stubborn. He knew she was weak to his lovemaking. He'd get her back.
----
Chapter 16
War was getting ready for work late one morning about a month after Lorelei and
He reminded himself that he'd made these wild accusations two days after he'd taken her virginity. Then he forced her into animal sex and bit her, leaving his mark on her, because he was in a jealous rage. He was pretty sure Hallmark didn't make a card for that.
* * * *
Lorelei spent several days either huddled in her bed or showering. When Renaud pressed her about her odd behavior, she told him that she was still upset about the incident in Gulf Breezes.
She knew that he wasn't fooled. He trusted her to have good reasons not to confide in him. She did have very good reasons.
Warrick Martine was her brother's uncle. She didn't want to color his relationship with him. Renaud didn't love very many people, and she knew that War was one of the few.
The truth was, Lorelei was in love with War. She knew it, and she hated herself for it. She wished she could hate him, too. Sometimes she did but, mostly, she mourned the loss of her hopes.
In love with him or not, Lorelei didn't trust him. He was dangerous and he'd hurt her. If he hurt her once, he'd do it again. She knew she'd never love anyone else.
That just made her angry. Now she had to accept that her judgment was poor and the only man she would ever love—would ever have the opportunity to love—didn't trust her and didn't believe what she told him.
Her pride was hurt, her heart was broken, and her future looked more than a little bleak. Lorelei didn't like herself right then.
* * * *
War didn't have much opportunity to spend time with Renaud in the days after his “separation” from Lorelei, but they did cross paths.
One afternoon, he was sitting at his desk looking across at Lorelei's building when he saw her run out the door. He saw the sun reflect off of her necklace.
Lorelei running out the door would have caught his attention anyway, but he got an unofficial call at the same time. Apparently Renaud was involved in an altercation that seemed about to escalate. War hurried out to his SUV.
When he pulled into the lot of the Burger Bin, War saw his nephew. Renaud dangled another young man by the throat. The young man swung a knife at Renaud, and War was sure he had connected at least once. He knew he saw blood on his nephew's torso.
Before War could even get out of his vehicle, the young werewolf flung his opponent away. Renaud turned and walked to Lorelei's little Escort and got in. She drove off.
When War saw him later, he asked Renaud about the incident. Renaud downplayed the whole thing and wouldn't talk about it. Since there was no official complaint and War could find no injury on his nephew, he was forced to let it go.
* * * *
Over the next month, War saw Lorelei only from a distance. He saw her when she passed him in traffic a few times. Once he walked into the grocery store, and her scent was heavy in the air.
He looked around until he saw her in the checkout line. When he looked at her she didn't look away, but her eyes were unreadable. She fingered the shining amulet at her throat. When she left the store, Renaud was waiting in the parking lot.
Another time he was outside the post office when she came out. He tipped his hat to her, and she nodded. He wasn't sure if he should take these exchanges as positive or negative. She didn't ignore him, and she didn't run screaming. That had to count for something.
War decided he should just bide his time. He'd try to turn up where she went and win her back. That should work, right? She was skittish but he'd work this out. He was damn stubborn. He knew she was weak to his lovemaking. He'd get her back.
----
Chapter 16
War was getting ready for work late one morning about a month after Lorelei and
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